Fluid operated clutch and brake for washing machines



Oct. 25, 1949. J. w. M NAIRY FLUID OPERATED CLUTCH BRAKE FOR ASKING IIACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 8, 1946 Inventor: Jacob W. McNair 4% 14 His Attorney Oct. 25, 1949. J. w. M NAlRY FLUID OPERATED CLUTCH AND BRAKE FOR ASKING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 8. 1946 OIL LEVEL His Attorney.

Patented Oct. 25, 1949 FLUID OPERATED CLUTCH AND BRAKE FOR WASHING MACHINES Jacob W. McNairy, Bridgr'oort, Conn, aasignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application January 8, 1946, Serial No. 639,859

The present invention relates to clothes washing machines of the type comprising a tub, a spin basket in the tub. and a washing mechanism-in the spin basket, the spin basket being disconnected from the driving motor and held 'stationary while the washing mechanism is operated to perform the washing operation and being then connected to the driving motor and rotated at relatively high speed to extract water from the clothes. It relates particularly to such machines wherein the electric motor for the machine is connected to the spin basket by a fluid actuated clutch. Such a machine is shown in my application, Serial No. 551,105, filed August 25, 1944; also in the application of Thomas T. Woodson, Serial ,No. 551,096, filed August 25, 1944, both assigned to the same assignee as my present invention.

The object of my invention is to provide certain improvements hereinafter described in a washing machine of the above referred to type, and for a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the following specification and to the claims appended thereto.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation of a washing machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged section through the driving mechanism with the discharge from the Claims. (Cl. 192-18) nut I2 to the upper end of a drive shaft l3 oil pump (shown in its correct relative position in Fig. 5) brought around into the plane of the view for purposes of illustration; Fig. 3 is a section on line 8-4, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section on line 5-4, Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5; Fig. 2, except that the discharge conduit for the oil pump is shown in correct relative position with respect to the inlet to the pump; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of certain of the clutch parts, and Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 'I'l, Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a washing machine of the type disclosed in the aforementioned applications having an outer casing or tub I in the upper part of which is located a spinner basket 2 having centrifugal discharge openings 3 at the region of greatest diameter which during washing are at or slightly above the liquid level. The spinner basket is nonrotatably seated in a carrier 4 having annular walls 5 surrounding the basket and serving as a balance ring and having radial arms 6 bolted to a hub fixed by a clamp 8 to a tubular shaft 9 for driving the spinner basket. The space between the basket and the hub is sealed by a rubber sleeve la having its upper end fixed to the hub and its lower end fixed to the basket. At the upper end of the hub is a bearing 10 for the lower end of a bladed agitator H fastened by a Journaled in bearings l3a, 13b and I30 in the spinner shaft 9. An oil retaining felt ring 1311 is associated with the bearing I311. The shaft I3 has fixed thereto an agitator drive nut 14 fitting in a complementary socket l5 in the agitator hub It. A shaft seal a is provided between the upper ends of the spinner and agitator shafts 9 and I3.

In the agitator hub 16 at or slightly Lelow the wash water level in the spinner basket are drain passages I 8' leading to the space between the spinner shaft 9 and the agitator hub IS. The water draining through these passages flows through the space between the shaft 9 and the agitator hub and through passages i9 in the carrier hub l to the bottom of the outer casing l whence it is pumped onto an annular filter 2i on the rim of the spinner basket by a suitable electric motor operated circulating pump 20. The pump has its inlet connected to the bottom wall 24 of the outer casing and its discharge connected to a conduit 2001. having a nozzle 20b directed onto the filter. The pump is operated during washing so the wash water is continually withdrawn from the spinner basket through the passages l8 and I9 (and possibly openings 3) and returned to the basket through the filter 2!. The continuous circulation and filtering of the water removes lint and other particles and keeps the wash water clean. The amount of wash water flowing through the passages i8 and I9 automatically adjusts itself to the capacity of the pump 20 by slight variations in the wash water level. If the pump flow I should become restricted, the wash water level.

would fall only slightly below the lower edges of the openings l8 which is only slightly less than the desired water level for washing. There is also provided a suitable electric motor operated drain pump 200 having its inlet connected to thebottom wall 24 of the outer casing l and its discharge connected to a conduit 20d leading to adrain.

The concentric spinner and agitator drive shafts 9 and i3 are driven by mechanism enclosed within a sealed casing. 22 having its upper end projecting through an opening 23 in the bottom wall 24 of the outer casing. The space between the casing 22 and the wall 24 is sealed by a flexible annular rubber ring 25having its inner edge clamped to the casing 22 and its outer edge clamped to the wall 24. The ring 25 serves not only as a seal but as a flexible connection preventing the transmission of vibrations to the outer casing. The upper edge of the casing 22, which is above the maximum water level in the assaeae the wash water. During washing, the wash water falls onto the upper end of the gear casing from the passages it. During centrifugal drying, the wash water discharged through the centrifugal discharge openings 3 falls into the bottom of the outer casing and partially submerges the upper;

end of the gear casing.

The spinner basket and the associated driving mechanism contained within the casing 22 are resiliently supported by springs t! arranged between a flange $2 on the casing 22 and a supporting flange 83 depending from the bottom wall 24 of the tub. The springs permit gyratory movement of the spinner basket during centrifugal drying so that the spinner basket rotates substantially about its center of mass, and also permit lateral movement of the casing 22 which lowers the node of vibration. The stiffness of the springs is such that the critical speed is of the order of 100 R. P. M., which is substantially below the centrifugal drying speed of 1200 R. P. M.

The machine is driven by a motor 36 having a stator 35 fixed in a frame 35 fixed to the under side of a flange 31 on the upper part of the casing 22. The motor is enclosed by ashell 38 also fixed to the flange 37. The motor has a rotor 39 fixed to a sleeve 40 having its closed lower end journaled in a bearing ti in the motor frame. Sleeve Ell forms the motor rotor shaft. Slidably and rotatively journaled in the sleeve M is a shaft 52 Journaled at its upper end in the lower portion 43 of a frame carrying the agitator drive gearing mechanism. The frame as a whole is journaled in a sleeve and thrust bearing 45 in the motor frame. The upper portion 48 of the frame 46 is fixed to the spinner shaft 9 by a set screw 46b so that the spinner basket is rotated for centrifugal extracting by an arrangement.

hereinafter described for rotating the frame 44. The two frame portions 53 and 45 are fastened together by a suitable number of studs 48a. The agitator driving mechanism, which is operated by rotation of the shaft 82 relative to the frame 54, consists of a pinion 67 in the upper end of the shaft 42 meshing with a gear 48 shrunk on a collar 49 .on a crank shaft 5t journaled in bearings 5i and 52 in the upper and lower parts of the frame. The crank shaft is connected by a connecting rod 53 with a crank arm 54 pinned to the lower end of the agitator shaft l3. Upon rotation of the crank shaft the agitator is oscillated through an angle determined by the connecting rod 53 and the crank arm 54 and at a speed determined by the rotation of the crank shaft. In the present construction the agitator is oscillated through an angle of approximately 60 and at a rate of 350 complete oscillations per minute.

During washing the frame 44 is held stationary by a brake and clutch member 55 connected to the lower end portion 43 of the frame by flat radial spring arms 56 and urged into engagement with a cooperating brake surface 51. on the motor frame by compression springs 58 arranged between the upper side of the clutch and brake member and arms 59 fixed to the frame. The spring arms 53 and the arms 59 are fastened together at their central portions by a suitable 4 number of rivets 59a which serve also to attach to arms 56 and 59 a depending cup 59b having an out-turned flange at its lower end which forms a stop to limit the movement of the clutch member by spring 58 prior to the time the assembly comprising parts 55, 56, 58 and 59 is assembled in the machine. The riveted together parts form a unitary assembly which is fastened to the lower surface of frame portion 43 by screws 590. At 590. is a thrust washer positioned between the upper surface of the riveted together parts and the lower surface of the adjacent sleeve bearing to take any vertical thrusts.

During washing, the shaft 42 is connected to the motor rotor 39 by a cone clutch disk or member 60 pinned to the shaft which is urged into engagement with a cooperating clutch surface St on a ring fixed to the rotor, by compression springs 62 arranged between a cup 53 fixed to the rotor and the lower ends of pins 6% fixed at their upper ends to a plate 65 closing the upper end of a corrugated bellows 66 the lower end of which is fixed to the rotor. In shaft 32 is a passage 61 which at its upper end communicates with the space between the rotor 39 and the lower side of clutch member 60. In cup 63 are openings 63a which connect the interior of the cup to the interior of bellows 66. Normally, the parts stand in the positions shown in Fig. 2, clutch member at being held in engagement with the clutch seat M by the compression springs 52 which force a sleeve bearing 59 to whichplate 55 is fixed against a sleeve 10 integral with the clutch member 60. In clutch member 50 is a relatively small passage H the purpose of which is pointed out hereinafter. While the shaft 42 is connected to the motor by clutch member 60 and the motorsure acting on the lower face vof clutch member $0 is effective to move the clutch member 50 clear of the cooperating clutch surface 6!. sults in a slight upward movement of the shaft 42 relative to the rotor 39 which provides a slight clearance between the lower end of the shaft 42 and the sleeve 40 into which oil flows from the passage 51, exerting an upward force on the shaft sufiicient to retain the-clutch member 60 in the disengaged position after the oil pressure on opposite sides of clutch member 60 becomes equalized. Upward movement of clutch member 60 is limited by the upper end of shaft 42 engaging the lower .end of shaft I3. Following the disengagement of the clutch member 50, the bel-' .tion is continued until the clutch and brake member 55 is lifted clear of the brake surface 51, the.

This re-' arms ll flexing'upward and the springs '58 being compressed to permit of such movement.

The clutch member I2 is connected torsionally to the bellows 85 by pins I4 on the clutch member which project through notches I in the edge of plate 86 and are connected to the plate by ten-= sion springs I6 arranged between the pins and tabs II fastened on the plate 65. Thus the motor drives the brake and clutch member 65 through the intermediary of bellows 88, plate 65, springs I6, and clutch member I2, and in turn brake and clutch member 55 drives the spin basket 2 through spring arms 58, frame 44 (the frame and the gearing carried by it rotating as a unit) and tubular shaft 9. Plate 65 forms a driving member for clutch member 12 connected to it by the circumferentially yieldable spring members I8. Since clutch member 88 is now disengaged fromv 40, the rotor of the pump Thepump comprises an eccentric bore 8! at the lower clutch surface 6!, agitator II is held from oscillating by the clothes in the spin basket and the of springs I6 in transmitting torque from disk 65 to the clutch member. The relative angular position of the clutch member I2 and the plate 85 is accordingly determined by the torque exerted by the friction surface I3 and the deflection of the springs I6. The friction torque at the surface I3 is determined by the pressure exerted on the clutch member I2 by the bellows 65; and this pressure is controlled by a bleeder valve consisting of a port I8 in the bearing 69 fixed to the plate 65 and a port I8 in the sleeve bearing 88 to which the clutch member I2 is fixed. When the bellows 86 is collapsed, the tension springs I5 hold the pins I4 against the opposite end of the notches I5 from that shown in Fig. 3, and in this position the port I8 is out of register with the port It so that the bleeder valve from the bellows is closed. Upon admission of oil to the interior of the bellows, the full oil pressure is available to force the clutch member I2 into engagement with the clutch surface I8 and the maximum friction torque is exerted. This torque depends not only upon the oil pressure but also upon the viscosity of the oil which is affected by temperature, the character of the friction surfaces andother factors. The equipment is designed so that this maximum friction torque is more than is desired for the motor. The friction torque accordingly results in relative rotation between the clutch member I2 and the plate 65, bringing the ports -18 and I9 into register to a certain extent and bleeding oil from the interior of the bellows to reduce the bellows pressure and thereby reduce the pressure between the clutch member I2 and the friction surface I3. The final position of the ports I8 and I9 (something short of the in register condition shown in Fig. 3) is such that the effective pressure in the bellows is sufiicient to cause the desired friction torque. The desired friction torque is determined by the springs I6 which control the relative position of the ports. With this arrangement a substantially constant torque is obtained independent of the viscosity of the oil and the condition of the clutch surfaces. Upon engagement of the clutch member I2 with the friction surface I3, the spinner basket is therefore accelerated at the desired rate and v the motor is neither over nor under loaded.

The oil pressure for expanding the bellows is end of the bearing 4| into which the lower shaft 40 projects-and a vane 82 received in the slotted lowlr end of the sleeve 88. At the center of the sleeve is a passage 83 in line with the passage ii in the shaft 42 andof slightly greater diameter than the width of the vane 82 and the slot 82' receiving the vane, (see Fig. 5). During rotation of the motor, oil is drawn into the pump through an intake 86 from a sump'in the bottom of the shell 38 and is discharged through a passage 85. Leading from the passage 85 is a restricted passage 86 in a plate 81 forming the bottom wall of the pump housing" leading to a chamber 88 on the underside of the plate formed between the under side of the plate and a disher cap 88a attached to plate 88 by screws 88b. The oil pressure within the chamber 88 is controlled by a solenoid valve'89 the frame of which is fixed to plate 8'1 and cup 88a by screws 88!) and having a plunger 9! provided with a tapered upper end adapted to seat against and close a normally open port 98 in cap 88a. Port 90 is of greater area than the passage 86 so that when port 98 is open, the oil flow from the discharge side of the pump through passage 86 flows out through port 90, thus preventing the building up of any substantial oil pressure in the chamber 88. When the solenoid valve. is energized, plunger Si is raised to close the port 90 so that full oil pressure builds up within the chamber 88 and is conducted through a passage 92 in the plate 81 and passage 83 to the passage 61 in the shaft to expand the bellows. chine is accordingly controllable by opening and closing the circuit to the solenoid valve. When the circuit to the solenoid valve is open, the bellows 66 is collapsed by springs 62. When this takes place, clutch member 12, bearing sleeve 88, plate 65 and sleeve bearing 69 move downward, clutch member I2 moving away from clutch member 55, permitting clutch member to be moved by springs 58 into engagement with brake surface 57, the spring arms 56 flexing downward to permit this movement of the clutch member to take place. The engagement of clutch member 55 with brake surface 51 serves to hold against turning movement in its bearings, the structure comprising clutch member 55, arms 56, frame as, tubular shaft 9 to which frame 44 is fixed, hub I and basket 2. During the downward movement, sleeve bearing 69 engages the top surface of sleeve ID to move shaft 42 downward to bring clutch member 68 into engagement with clutch surface 6|, thus connecting shaft 42 to the motor rotor. At this time, the upper end of shaft 42 moves away from the lower end of shaft it. Now, when the motor operates, the agitator is oscillated through agitator clutch member or disk in the manner'already explained. When the solenoid valve is energized, the bellows is expanded to move the clutch member I2 into engagement with the clutch surface I3 and establish a direct drive from the. motor through the frame 44 to the spinner basket and the clutch member 68 is moved away from the clutch surface 6| to disconnect the shaft 42 and thereby prevent oscillation of the agitator.

In addition to supplying the oil pressure for controlling the driving mechanism, the oil pump also supplies oil to pressure lubricate the bearings through passages 98, and the oil sprayed from the bearings and from fitting 94 at the upper end The operation of the washing ma-.

mamas of the crank shaft is sprayed over the interior of the casing 22 for cooling purposes. At 95 is a suitable pressure relief valve for limiting the maximum pressure delivered by the oil pump.

In connection with the operation of the mechanism, it will be noted that agitator clutch member 80 forms in substancea valve which is opened by the fluid pressure and which controls flow of fluid pressure to corrugated bellows 66, the fluid pressure being first applied to the agitator clutch member 60 to disconnect the agitator drive from the motor before substantial fluid pressure is supplied to the corrugated bellows to effect closing of the spin basket clutch to connect the spin basket to the motor.

The construction so far described is substantially that disclosed and claimed in my aforesaid application, Serial No. 551,105.

My present invention has to do particularly with an arrangement whereby the pressure with which the clutch member 12 engages the brake and clutch member 55 is determined initially by spring means and thereafter by the pressureof the oil. To this end, I provide the springs 58 to control the initial pressure between clutch member 12 and brake and clutch member 55; and in connection with the springs, I provide stop means which, after a predetermined axial movement of the brake and clutch member 55 positively prevents its further movement so that the entire fluid pressure in the bellows is utilized in forcing clutch member 12 into engagement with the brake and clutch member 55. This arrangement has especial utility in a construction embodying a torque control means such as that comprising the control discharge passages 18, 19 in that it I gives a quickly responsive sensitive control due to the fact that changes in oil pressure on the clutch members is immediately effective to pro- .duce torque changes without the necessity of axial movement of any parts and without depending on changes in spring pressure. .For limiting the compression of springs 58, I provide stop posts l! which are attached to brake and clutch member 55 in line with arms 59 and are normally spaced 3 short distance from the under sides of arms 59. Arms 59 provide abutments which limit upward movement of posts llll. To advantage, springs 58 may be coiled compression springs'which surround the posts Illl. With the foregoing arrangement, the initial movement of bellows 86 lifts clutch member 12 into engagement with brake and clutch member 55 and lifts the brake and clutch member from engagement with brake ring 51. The pressure between clutch member 12 and brake and clutch member 55 is now controlled by springs 58. After a predetermined pressure has been built up in bellows 66, brake and clutch member 55 is lifted to an extent such that posts I 0i abut the under side of arms 59. This prevents further movement of brake and clutch member 55 which means that it becomes stationary. Now, the changes in pressure between clutch member 12 and brake and clutch member 55 become independent of springs 58, depending entirely upon the pressure within the bellows 66. As a result, changes in pressure in the bellows efiected by the torque control become effective immediately and directly to change the pressure between the clutch members. The maximum pressure built up within the bellows is limited by a pressure relief valve 95.

After the extraction operation is completed, the circuits on the motor and on the electromagnet of solenoid valve 89 are opened. Openoil within the bellows.

8. I ing the circuit on the electromagnet of solenoid valve 89 permits plunger 9| to move away from port 90 permitting oil pressure to escape quickly from bellows 66. Springs 58 and 62 then operate to bring brake and clutch member into engagement with the brake ring 51, separate clutch member 12 from brake and clutch member 55, and seat clutch disk against clutch surface H. The function of the opening H in clutch disk 80 is to insure complete collapse of bellows 66, it

serving to permit oil to escape from within the bellows after the clutch disk 60 makes contact with its seat, thus preventing any trapping of The opening 'H is small enough that escape of oil through it will not prevent building up of pressure beneath clutch disk 60 when the clutch is to be released.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it under- .stood that the apparatus shown is only illusa second clutch member, an axially expansible corrugated bellows connected at one end to said second clutch member and at the other end to said driving shaft, a fluid pump driven by the driving shaft for supplying fluid pressure to said bellows, torque responsive means for regulating the pressure in the bellows, and means controlling the flow of fluid from the discharge side of the pump to the bellows.

2. In a washing machine or the like, the combination of a driven shaft, a driven clutch member, axially yieldable means connecting the driven clutch member to the driven shaft, an abutment, spring means positioned between said abutment and the driven clutch member opposing axial movement of said driven clutch member, means positioned between said abutment and said driven clutch member limiting positively the extent of movement of the drivenclutch member against the action of said spring means, a driving shaft, a second clutch member, an axially movable fluid actuated member connected to said second clutch memberfor moving it axially, a fluid pump driven by the driving shaft for supplying fluid pressure to said fluid actuated member, a discharge port for regulating the pressure built up in said fluid actuated member, means regulating flow of fluid through said discharge port, and means through which the driving shaft drives said second clutch member. 3. In a washing machine or the like, the combination of a. driven shaft, a driven clutch member, axially yieldable arms connecting the driven I clutch member to the driven shaft, an abutment,

spring means positioned between said abutment and said driven clutch member opposing axial movement of said driven clutchmember, means positioned between said abutment and said driven clutch member limiting positively the extent of movement of the driven clutch member against the action of said spring means, a drivin shaft, a second clutch member, an axially expansible corrugated bellows connected at one end to said sec- 0nd clutch member and at the other end to said driving shaft, a fluid pump driven by the driving shaft for supplying fiuid pressure to said bellows, and means controlling the flow of fluid from the pump to the bellows.

4. For use in a washing machine or the like, a driven shaft, an axially movable clutch member connected to the driven shaft, a'second clutch member, axially movable fluid actuated means connected with the second clutch member for moving it into engagement with the first named clutch member, a fluid pump driven by the driving shaft for supplying fluid to said axially movable means, an abutment, spring means positioned between said fixed abutment and said firstnamed clutch member acting in a direction to oppose axial movement of said first named clutch member, and means carried by said first-named clutch member which engages said abutment for positively preventing axial movement of said first named clutch member after it has been moved a predetermined amount against the action of said spring means.

l 10 driven by the driving shaft, axially movable clutch means for connecting the driving shaft to the driven shaft and releasing said brake, a fluid actuated bellows connected to said pump for effecting engagement and axial movement of the clutch means, an abutment, spring means positioned between the clutch means and said abutment against which spring means the clutch is held engaged, and stop posts carried by the clutch means and engageable with said abutment for limiting axial movement of said clutch means whereby after a predetermined movement has taken place the engagement of the clutch means responds directly to the pumppressure supplied by the pump to the bellows.

JACOB W. MCNAIRY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

